A voluntary Textile PRO Forum to harmonize textiles EPR implementation to support Circular Economy in Europe

Meeting in Brussels on 22 January, the undersigned PROs and business associations launch the PRO Forum, a unique voluntary initiative designed to harmonise and share best practices for effective and efficient implementation of the Extended Producer Responsibility for textiles and footwear (Textiles EPR) across Europe.

As Europe prepares for the mandatory separate collection of textile waste and with the revision of the Waste Framework Directive entering its final stage, the EPR schemes have become a cornerstone of the European strategy for sustainability and circularity of textiles.

These EPR schemes and the related PROs will operate differently in each EU Member State, reflecting national legislation, market conditions, and infrastructure. While this diversity reflects local features, it also presents a challenge for efficiency and for businesses which will face the complexity of up to 27 different EPR models for textiles.

“Producer responsibility plays a vital role in advancing the circular economy for textiles in Finland and across Europe. Listening to the experiences of other nations is crucial as we develop our national operating model while also promoting harmonized progress that supports Finnish companies in global markets,” states Emilia Gädda, Chief Advisor in Sustainability and Circular Economy at the Finnish Textile & Fashion.

The PRO Forum addresses this need by bringing together experienced PROs and national industry associations engaged in the implementation of the Textile EPRs. Its mission is to foster collaboration, harmonization, and knowledge-sharing among the Textile EPR Producer Responsibility Organizations (PROs).

Initiated by Refashion, the first PRO for textiles, and by EURATEX, the European Textile and Apparel industry Confederation, the PRO Forum is coordinated by EURATEX. The initial key activities include the Forum set up and the following strategic workstreams:

  • Reduce administrative burden
  • Harmonize approaches to implement the eco-modulation fees, set by legislation
  • Supporting recycling
  • Harmonise framework
  • Set up, creation and expansion of PROs

List of the participating organizations: EURATEX, Comeos, Creamoda, Fedustria, Recydata, ATOK, Gesamtverband Textil- und Mode, Danish Fashion & Textile, Retur, Asociación para la Gestión del Residuo Textil y Calzado, Finnish Textile & Fashion, REFASHION, Cobat Tessile, Erion Compliance Organization Scarl/ Erion Eco, RETEX.Green, Reconomy / Redress, Scandinavian Industrial Waste Management, Tekstiles partneriai, Inretail, Modint, Stichting Producentenorganisatie UPV Textiel, Electrao, TEKO Sveriges Textil & Modeföretag Branschförening

Emilia Gädda

Chief Advisor, Sustainability & Circular Economy

+358 41 545 8142
emilia.gadda@stjm.fi

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